[1] It was founded in 1979 by Cynthia Grant, Kim Renders, Mary Vingoe, and Maureen White and was originally a collective.

Nightwood Theatre was launched in 1979 by co-founders Cynthia Grant, Kim Renders, Mary Vingoe and Maureen White.

[4] Their first production in 1979, The True Story of Ida Johnson, was adapted from the novel by Sharon Riis, and is described as "an innovative mixed-media performance".

It was around this time that the company began consistently referring to, if albeit informally, Cynthia Grant as Nightwood's artistic director.

Until this point, Nightwood's founding four members, Grant, Renders, Vingoe, and White, shared leadership roles and frequently interchanged titles and responsibilities.

[10] As part of their 1982–83 season, Nightwood produced the inaugural FemCab, or "Five Minute Feminist Cabaret" on March 8, 1983 at the Horseshoe Tavern.

[11] Early FemCab participants included Ann-Marie MacDonald, The Clichettes, Holly Cole, and Meryn Caddell.

In the same funding application, Vingoe noted that Nightwood's work dealt with "the concerns of the women's community" among other issues.

[17] The collective consisted of Suzanne Khuri, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Baņuta Rubess, Aida Jordão, Patricia Nichol, and Nightwood co-founder Maureen White.

This is for You, Anna was inspired by the story of Marianne Bachmeier, a woman who shot the man accused of killing her daughter, and premiered as part of Nightwood's 1985–86 season.

[25] The 2003 Hysteria Festival was ten days long and featured classes and workshops in addition to performances and staged readings.

[26] Nightwood Theatre held the Consent Event in 2017, coinciding with widespread conversations around the #MeToo movement following allegations of sexual abuse against Harvey Weinstein.

[29][30] Nightwood Theatre cancelled their performances of Karen Hines' All the Little Animals I Have Eaten in keeping with Canada's guidelines surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak.

Nightwood Theatre's Groundswell Festival of new works began in the spring of 1986 and was originally timed to coincide with International Women's Day.